Packaging method



July 10,1945 o. E. sElFERTH ETAL i 2,379,935 v PACKAGING METHOD Filed Oct. 8, 1941 INVENToR. 064cv E eziferh, BY Edward C. loam mMQwM/f WWW ww 'Patented 10,1945

K PACKAGING METHOD Oscar E. Seiferth, Chicago, and Edward C. Sloan,

Geneva. Ill., assign ors to Oscar Mayer 6; Co.,

Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation ot Illinois Application october s. 1941, serial Na trineo' e claims. (ci. 9s-a) This invention relates Itoa method of producing a package in which a number of articlesl are associated together and in which each article is individually bound or enclosed in a portion of thctotal wrapping, so that when torn apart, each individual article retains an identifying wrappine or band, and of course retains whatever printed matter or label that may be on such bands. It has for one object to provide a method for producing the package shown. Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specication and claims.

The invention is illustrated niore or less dian .grammatically in the accompanying drawing,

.Figure l. is a bottom plan view of a package produced by the method of the present application.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, cross-section on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section. illus trating the method of the operation and the machine which carries it out.

Figure avis a transverse vertical section taken at line t-t of Figure 3.

hliilre parts are designated by like characters throughout the specification and drawing.

The particular package formed by this invention comprises a lower band -i and an upper band ldv 2. The upper band, as shown particularly in s@ Figures 2 and 3, is looped about the articles 3;

in this case sausages are shown, although the' method is not limited to the packing or packag-Y ing of sausages, The bands Il and 2 may be provided, on their contacting surfaces; with adhe sive Il and E, respectively; as shown, this adhesive extends over the entire area of the contacting faces, but it may be applied along limited areas where the seals orbonds are to beformed.. The adhesive may be ofthe heat-responsive type., in which a seal or bond is made when'heat is applied, or it may be of otherl types.' As.v shown particularly in Figures 2 and 3 the bands l and 2 are secured, sealed, or bonded together along an f area 6, and a row of perforations 1 is formed in this area, and extending transversely of the bands. Each row of perforations l may be provided with a wider or larger perforation- 8 at` itsv end, and 'this' perforation preferablyextends across the margin or edge of-the composite band formed 5 of the. members I and 2. Thus this larger or wider perforation 8 facilitates tearing and guides.

the tear at the start.

The mechanism for carrying out the method is illustrated diagrammatically in Figures 3 and 4,

and as they are shown, comprises a roller t mounted on a shaft it and having an external layer ii which'is formed preferably of rubber or some other relatively yielding material. A work platform or surface member l 2 is positioned adjacent the roller. The sealing and" perforating means comprises a body portion id which may be reduced in width as at lll, and this reduced portion may be cut away centrally, on its lower face as at iii, to receive a notched perforating blade it, which has at its ends relatively Wide blade portions il, and intermediate these blades has narrowerperiorating teeth it. Pgositioned'in' member it, which extends into or through the body i3, is a heat-ing element 2t to which electric current is supplied by conductors i l, t2. A sup porting shaft or rod :it extends through a suitable perforation inlfthe body it and is securedis slotted as at at and positioned about the rou 23, the slot. being longer than the diameter oi the rod 2t. Extending downwardly from thelrod 23 are guide members A2l which extend through suitable perforations in shoulders 2t of the housing 2t? Springs 29 arelpositioned about the guides 2l and bear at one end upon the rod 23 and at the other end upon the inneriaces of the shoulers 28. These springs tend to hold the housing downwardly and when free to di) so more it so that its lower end or edge is below theI lower end or edge of the member I4., and thus it masks that member 'and masks the perforating .teeth or blades il and i8. But when it encounters sufficient resistance, the housing is. forced upwardly against the resistance of the springs 29 and exposes the teeth Il and mend also at the saine time exposes the lower end of the portion It.

The operation of the method or process is as iollowsz. s f

The bands l and 2 are fed together along 'the work surface4 member I2', and over and around Y the roller 9 in contact with the compressible sur face Il. At. the start of an operation, a seal such as that shown at the left ofthe package is made.

To do this the sealing and perforating assembly is moved downwardly. Asvabove mentioned in the initial steps of the downward movement the housing 25 haskbeen forced downwardly by the springs 28 and covers'the sealing lend and the perforating members.' Thus the upper-bandis' forced to the lower band without any danger of tearing or premature perforating or premature sealing. When the housing has carried the upper band downward and has itself contacted the compressible layer II, itsLmovement is stopped and further downward movement of the members I3, i4 carrying the perforating parts continues,

4 and these parts move out of or downwardly from the housing. y Thus the end portion It, which is heated by the heating elements 20, can eilect a seal of the heat sealing adhesive 4, 5, and the teeth or blades I1 and I8 now being fee to do so,

.cut into and perforate the two tapes I and 2,

and thus by this step of the method' a sealing and periorating operation is carried out. The sealing and perfor-ating assembly is then raised and a sausage or other article is put in place, and the bands I and 2 with the sausage 3 are moved to a suitable position, and the heating and perforating assembly is again lowered to make a sec ond seal 6, and this operation is repeated until a suitable number of articles has been Joined in a. package, a sealed and perforated portion having been formed between each article so that the articles themselves are retained properly within the package and are provided -with perforations so that they may be separated when desired. The'.

` be ofY diierent degrees of stillness-for example.

the band 2 may be a card and relatively rigid, while band I may be relatively exible. The invention is equally applicable where material oi that sort is used. vIn this connection the word yband is to be understood as including members of varying widths. andof varying degrees of rigidity, and it is to be taken as including a card of at least as great width as the length of the articles which are fastened upon it. While vwe have shown a mechanism capable of sealing two strips between each of the articles shown, the method is equally .applicable where only a single strip is shown and it is applicable where fasteners are used instead of adhesive.- It may also be used where perforations are notto'be made. or where notches are to be formed without other perforations. The notches, if formed, will be at the edges of the strips to facilitate theinitiation of :tearing in the proper direction and at the proper point. 'Ihe method may, therefore, be used to eiecta single strip for attaching or sealing,

or a double strip, with or without perfor-ations ory notches in either case.

Itwill be realized that whereas we have described andshown a practical and operative em,

ltang'entially securedv thereto, vwhich includes feedas'vaoss i ing a strip toward a securing zone, securing a second strip thereto and moving the two strips forwardly in unison, inserting an article to beV secured, between the two strips, adjacent the area at which the strips are already joined, moving the unjoined parts of the strip, and the article, over a convex'support, sealing the strips together about the article while the strips and article overlie said convex support, moving the joined por- -tions of said strips, with the article secured be tween, across said convex support, and thereby providingy space between the article just secured and the article next to be secured, for performing the securing operation and progressively adding and securing additional articles, in the same man- 4 2. The method of securing articles such'as sausages and the like in a unitary package including a supporting strip with abutting articles tangentially secured thereto, which includes feeding a strip toward a securing zone, securing a second strip thereto and moving the two strips forwardly in unison, inserting an article to be secured, between the twoV strips, adjacent the area at which the strips are already joined, moving the unioined parts of the strip, and the article, over a convex support, sealing the strips together about the article while the strips and article overlie said convex support, moving the joined portions of said strips, with the article secured between, across said convex support, and thereby providing space betweennthe article just secured and.

the article next to be secured, for performing the securing operation and progressively adding and securing additional articles, in the 4saine manner and transversely weakening the strips, between each pair of adjacent articles.

3. The Y method of securing articles such as sausages and the like in a unitary package including a supporting strip with abutting articles tangentially secured thereto.. which includes feuding a strip toward a securing zone, securing a second strip thereto and moving the two strips forwardly in unison, inserting an article to be secured, between the two strips, adjacent the area at which the strips are already joined, moving the unjoined parts of the strip, and the article, over a convex support, sealing the strips together about the article while the strips and article overlie said convex support, moving the joined portions of L said strips, with the article secured between.'

across said convex support, and thereby providing space between the article justsecured and the article next to be secured, for performingthe securing operation and progressively adding and se- "curing additional articles, in the same manner and transversely weakening the strips, between each pair off adjacent articles at the time the two .strips are secured together.

4. The method of securing articles 'such as l sausages and the like in a unitary package inclding a supporting' strip with labutting articles Va second strip thereto and moving thetwo strips fforwardlyin unison, inserting an article to be cluding a supporting'strip'with ,abutting articles secured, between the two strips, adjacent the area at which the strips are already joined,mov. ing the unjoined parts of the strip, and the article, 'over'a `convex support, sealing the strips together about the article while the strips and ar- .ticle overlie said convex support, moving the,

joined portions of said strips, with the artica secured between, acros's said convex support; and

thereby providing space'between the article Just l secured and the article next -to be secured, for performing the securing operation and progressively adding and securing additional articles, in the same manner while advancing the strips and articles step by step.

5. The method of continuously banding together a plurality of disconnected link-type iiexed backwardly relativa/to the other at the point of connection between the strips in conformity with the convex side of the sausage in engagement therewith, drawing said backward!! ilexed strip snugly about the sausage, tucking it down behind the sausage into engagement with the other strip, connecting the strips together again at the point of engagement, to complete the banding of the rst sausage. advancing the strips with the sausage snugly banded therebetween, and repeating the same operations on each of the sausages in turn.

6. The method ofcontinuously and progressively banding a plurality of disconnected linktype sausages in an exposed row in sidewise relation to each other by the employment of two relatively narrow strips which band each of the sausages individually at theircenters and also connect them together at their centers in a series; which method consists in `securing the two strips together in a transversely extending zone, moving one of the sausages to a centered position between the strips, with the sausage disposed cross-wise of the strips. and with one of the strips exed backwardly relative to the other at the end of said securing zone in substantial conformity with the convex surface of the sausage, drawing said backwardiy exed strip snugly around the surface of the sausage, tucking said strip down tively narrow strips which band each of the' sausages individually at their centers and also connect them together at their centers in a series; which method consists in securing the two strips together in a transversely extending zone, moving one of the sausages to a centered position between the strips, with the sausage disposed cross-wise of the strips, and with one of the strips iiexed backwardly relative to the other at the end of said securing zone in substantial conformity with the convex surface oi the sausage, drawing said backwardly flexed strip snugly around the surface of the sausage, tucking said strip down behind the sausage into engagement with the other strip at. a point closely adjacent the sausage, securing the two stripstogether again in a second transversely extending zone beginning at said point of engagement, whereby to complete the banding of the first sausage, perforating the strip transversely intermediate the beginning and end of said second securing zone, whereby to facilitate cross-wise 'tearing of the strips without disruption of the v banding, and moving another sausage into position and repeating the same operations on that sausage and on each of the other sausages in behind the sausage into engagement with the a other strip at a point closely adjacent the sausage, securing the two strips together again in a second transversely extending zone beginning at said point of engagement, whereby to complete the banding of theilrst sausage, and moving another-sausage into position and repeat.- ing the same operations on that sausage and on each of the other sausages in turn. y

7. The method of continuously and Progresturn.

8. 'I'he method of continuously banding together a plurality of articles having 'generally rounded sides in a row in'sidewise relation to each other, by the employment of two narrow strips which band each of the articlesindividually and also connect them together, which consists in connecting the strips together transversely at one point, advancing one of the l:sr-- ticles relative to the strips into a position betweenV and in engagement with the latter, with the article positioned cross-wise of the strips, and with one of the strips exedy backwardly' relative to the other at the point of connection between the strips in conformity with the convex side ot the article in engagement therewith, drawing said backwardly iiexed strip snugly about the article, tucking it down behind the article into engagement with the other strip, connecting the strips together again at the point of engagement, to complete the banding of the iirst article, advancing the strips with the article snugly banded therebetween, and repeating the same operations `on'each of the articies'in turn.

' OSCAR E. Smm

EDWARD C. SUDAN. 

